Sphinx
by Kiraa-Miroku-Forever aka DracoShapedGoldfish
Summary: ‘If she had learned anything from this, it was not to show your weaknesses. Crying isn’t helpful either it only lengthens your pain. Like it wasn’t neverending anyway.’ HGDM, beware of fluff!


Title: Sphinx

Author or Authoress in this case: Kiraa-Miroku-Forever aka DracoShapedGoldfish

Rating: PG-13

Pairings: Draco/Hermione, Harry/Ginny, Ron/Lavender

Timeline: beginning of 7th year, after the War of White and Dark

Summary: 'If she had learned anything from this, it was not to show your weaknesses. Crying isn't helpful either; it only lengthens your pain. Like it wasn't never-ending anyway.' HG/DM

A/N: Now this has been beta'd! Irishaccent Lovely Lauren, bless her…

Disclaimer: I don't own him, but pretty close!

Dedications: Chatte you are awesome! Us S.S. RULE! And as always, Lauren 'cuz I love ya!

Chapter 1: Just the Beginning

Hermione swiped away her tears. If she had learned anything from this, it was not to show your weaknesses. Crying isn't helpful either; it only lengthens your pain. Like it wasn't never-ending anyway. Even she had to admit that everyone was right, she had to stop feeling sorry for herself.

Many other people had lost loved one's and friends. Sirius Black and Arthur Weasley were just a two of who had been lost from the Order alone. Fortunately, many, if not all of the infamous Death Eaters had been brought down with their Dark Lord, Voldemort. Not without one hell of a struggle though, Hermione reminded herself. As she sat on the Hogwarts train in her empty compartment, she thought back to her friends. Harry, Ron, Ginny, and even Neville had fought with her and they had all been served honors from the Ministry. She was still slightly annoyed at the fact that the Weasley children, along with Harry weren't going to arrive until after the feast.

Hermione wondered also about the boy who had saved her life. Draco Malfoy had always been so cruel, but as she knew, he had been acting all under his father's reign; well more like wrath. It had even been said that Draco was to have been forcibly given the Dark Mark that very night. She shook her head drearily as if to shake off her morbid thoughts. And since when did she call him Draco? Oh, well, never mind that now.

Her head snapped to the left, causing her massive amount of chestnut hair to swish over her shoulders and into her face. The compartment door was kicked open viciously and Draco entered bearing a bristling Crookshanks in his arms. Hermione jumped up and took her pet carefully from the youngest Malfoy.

"I'm so, so sorry! See I had the door propped so I could watch the corridor and Crookshanks here must have escaped from his basket and decided to take a little rendezvous…" she trailed off looking very flushed as the door slid shut behind the infamous Slytherin Prince. He turned his blonde head to gaze intently at her.

"It's fine really. Hookshmacks did you say?"

"Crookshanks,"

"Right. Crookshanks here was just scaring some first-year girls. They were claiming he was stalking them." One thing Hermione noticed immediately was that his voice held no trace of the venom that had once dripped threateningly on every word. Also his platinum blonde hair wasn't plastered back anymore. It seemed he had let it grow out some and let it fall every which way… cute. NO! Draco Malfoy was NOT in anyway attractive! Okay, well she had to admit he really was, but she was NOT in any way, shape, or form considering him as date material. He was still a Slytherin git after all!

"Oh honestly! He's just a cat! Well... close enough." She pet the meowing feline, not noticing the tufts of orange fur coming off in large clumps from the highly stressed animal. Draco glanced around quickly before asking,

"Would you mind if I sat here? I mean unless someone else…" Hermione watched him in disbelief for a moment before coming to her senses and dropping her large, ginger cat on the row of seats.

"No, sure; I mean, please… just sit." she finished shakily. Amazingly enough, Draco didn't make a snide comment on her state of mind and simply gave her a quick smile as he did as she told him.

"Thanks Granger. Parkinson wouldn't leave me alone for a moment." Hermione blushed and sat back in her seat across from him. Did he just smile? And at her none the less…

"Really? I thought you two were- err, close." He looked at her like she was a madwoman, clearly horrified that she even considered the idea.

"No way! I only put up with her this long because of… well let's just say it isn't a problem for me anymore." the room thickened with tension and she didn't really know what to say. Hermione noticed his arms and hands were severely bitten and scratched as he shifted uncomfortably. Her honey-brown eyes narrowed instantly in concern.

"Are your arms alright? Here, hold them out…" She pulled out her thin wand and pointed it at his outstretched limbs after he had rolled up the sleeves to his black robes.

"Redintegro vulnus!" she spoke firmly in Latin and they both watched as his swollen skin regenerated to perfection. He gazed back up at her with a slight nod.

"Thank you Granger. So, how do you like being Head Girl so far?"

Hermione brushed her unruly bangs that she was currently trying to grow out, back from her eyes. Her toffee-colored eyes settled on an empty part of the bench and she hurriedly made her way to it. Coincidentally, it was in-between some of her old classmates and she was almost immediately pulled into a conversation with Padma and Lavender about their new dress robes. Hermione, along with all the other students in the hall, quieted as the line of first years were all sorted then quickly filled their plates.

After the meal Dumbledore rose and made his speech, but asked for the 7th years to remain behind as the rest of the school was led away by Prefects. Ron, Ginny Weasley and Harry entered the Great Hall behind Nemphadora Tonks and took their seats beside Hermione as she smiled in greeting. The loud murmur among the eldest year ended as the Head Master held out his hand to silence them.

"As you know our wizarding world has been at war for a very long time against the Dark Lord. He, as you well know, was defeated finally but not without a great cost. Very few magical folk escaped with out being harmed in one way or another; even the muggles suffered. Thus, we have taken extra precautions and tightened security a tad more. The events of your years at Hogwarts and the tragedies that have taken place have changed each and every single one of you forever. Due to these changes, some subtle, some drastic, we have decided a second sorting would be in order. Please form a line and you will all be sorted shortly. Do not worry if you are sorted into the same house, it is perfectly all right." There was a loud bustle among the teens as they all merged into a haphazard line down the middle of the hall and the tables were pushed to the side.

"I wonder what house I'll be in… Hopefully I'll stay the same... I've become rather attached to Professor McGonagall as tough as the old witch can be." Padma told them all as the Heads of Houses herded them into a straighter line. Lavender nodded and Hermione forced a smile as she nervously ran her slender fingertips along the hem of her sleeves.

Finally the faces of the students being sorted were getting familiar. Seamus was sorted into Gryffindor again and he didn't seem to mind. Lavender was then sorted into Hufflepuff along with Parvarti and her twin. Hermione made her way swiftly up the stairs to the three-legged bench and closed her eyes as the sorting hat was placed on her head.

"Ah, Miss Granger hallo! You sure have changed dear. You are still very brave at heart, don't worry, but I can see you have suffered more than some of the others. You are still friends with Misters Weasley and Potter, hmm? Well that's slightly surprising, but you always were the loyal type. Ah, and here we go... Oh, now this is interesting. You would do quite well as a Slytherin but I'm afraid you would be most unhappy there, am I correct?" Hermione nodded so quickly that the hat almost toppled off her head. "Careful now, hmm. Well I suppose the only other choice is, RAVENCLAW!" Hermione let out a breath she hadn't realized she was holding.

"Thank you," she muttered to the hat as Professor McGonagall removed the tattered thing to place it on the next nervous student's head. Hermione couldn't help but let her smile falter when she saw none other than Draco Malfoy's eyes following her as she made her way over to the group of the newly sorted Ravenclaws.

Hermione's toffee eyes glared at Malfoy as he stepped up for his turn. She saw him mutter a few things to the hat as it chatted cheerfully with him and then quite suddenly called out, "RAVENCLAW!"

She couldn't help but let her jaw drop a bit as he strolled confidently over to the table and sat at the other end, across from Blaise. Personally, Hermione was amazed that the young Zabini had made it into Ravenclaw, but then again, who would have ever thought Draco Malfoy would have found a spot either!

She cheered when Ginny was also sorted into Ravenclaw and came to sit happily with her, but Hermione was slightly crestfallen as both Harry and Ron were sorted back into Gryffindor. It wasn't too much of a surprise to her though. As smart as the two boys, sorry, young men were, they still pulled too many stunts to have high enough of a work moral to fit into Ravenclaw. They were a bit foolhardy too.

As soon as the last of the 7th years were sorted, they all stood and made their way back to the common rooms, chattering excitedly. Knowing full well that all their belongings had been sent to the right places, no one worried about a lost trunk or book. The newly sorted students pulled on their nightgowns and such and all fell asleep as soon as their heads hit the pillow. The boys dreamed of Chocolate Frogs and Quidditch and the girls, of the upcoming balls and hair and make-up spells. Well most of them, but not our favorite Head Boy and Girl.

A/N: OKAY! Well I am extremely excited as this is my first HP story and I just love Hr/D stories! So much that I had to write my own! Heh, well thanks goes to Akki, who is also semi beta-ing for me! Yay! Go look at her stuff, she writes Inuyasha mostly. Her pen name is Tokyo-Pop-Manga. Anywho, please r/r! I really love reading them! I really do!


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